End Game
by Glasskey
Summary: This is the last story in my SVU trilogy. Elliot and Olivia fight to keep a psychotic kidnapper from their past from worming her way out of prison. Last chapter just posted!
1. Chapter 1

_The following is not directly related to any past or present plotlines on SVU, but is a self-contained story. _

Olivia held the rapt attention of her coworkers with her story of an attempt to rescue a kitten she had found lurking behind a vent in her apartment.

"How did it get in the ventilation?" Elliot asked.

"How should I know? Anyway…"

"Wasn't it feral or something? It could have had rabies, you know." Munch interrupted.

"It didn't have rabies. And I couldn't just leave it in there." Olivia leaned back in her chair, recalling the memory.

"I couldn't reach it, but I had some old turkey in the refrigerator I was about to throw out, and I figured..."

The snickering drew Olivia upright in her seat again.

"Don't laugh. It made sense at the time. It wouldn't let me grab it. It was beyond my reach, so I wanted to coax it where I could get it."

"Okay, so after the cat tore off your hand, what did you do with it then?" Elliot asked.

"It absolutely did not bite or scratch me. It was just scared so, you know, I thought I would leave the turkey near the opening, and I could grab it when it got close." Olivia shook her head, embarrassed.

Elliot suddenly felt the presence of someone approaching him, and he looked up to see a large, apple-cheeked woman upon him. She was holding a badly wrapped, padded envelope held together by materials that looked as though they had been used once or twice before.

"Are you Detective Stabler?"

Elliot nodded and the woman handed him the package without giving him anything to sign for it. He was so intrigued by the childlike assembly of shoddy paper and tape, he didn't think of asking the woman who sent her until after she was halfway to the door. He decided it wasn't worth running after her to find out.

"And? So then what?" Elliot prodded, continuing to listen as he fingered the ends of the envelope. It tore open easily and revealed a battered cassette tape. Like the package it came in, the cassette appeared old and used. Elliot fumbled around the back of a drawer to find a cassette player, a nearly obsolete device for a nearly obsolete media.

"I could see it salivating, it was so hungry. So I waited, and it came and got the turkey, but then it turned around and ran off when I lunged for it. I guess I must have scared it, though, because it dropped a big chunk of the meat- about ten feet from my vent opening.

"That's going to smell nice in a day or two." Munch said. "Are you sure it wasn't salivating because it had rabies?"

"For the last time, it didn't have rabies, Munch." Olivia said.

Elliot pushed the cassette tape down into the player with a snap, then held one earphone to the side of his head so that he could simultaneously listen to Olivia and whatever was on the tape. As he waited for the recording to begin, he idly scratched at the interior of the paper package, prying loose something stuck to a piece of the haphazardly placed tape.

"Yeah, so I couldn't leave that meat in there. It took me an hour to find something to tape to the end of my broom, and then to reach back in there and drag it out. I don't know whatever happened to the kitten. Poor thing." Olivia said.

Finn and Munch chuckled appreciatively, but Elliot was now immersed in the recording and didn't notice that Olivia had finished her description of what she had done with her evening.

"All right, what's so fascinating there that you missed the end of my kitten story?" Olivia asked.

Elliot didn't respond or otherwise give any indication that he could hear anything beyond the cassette recording.

Finally, Olivia leaned to him and touched his shoulder.

"Elliot."

He jumped, tearing the earphones away from himself so violently that he nearly pulled the wire all the way out of the audio jack, and started to shakily reaffix it before he gave up and threw the tangle of wires back onto his desk.

"Are you okay? What is it?" Olivia asked.

"Fine. Nothing." Elliot scooped the remnants of the package paper and tape, as well as the tape player and the tape inside it, into a drawer before decisively slamming the drawer shut.

"What was on that tape?" Olivia pressed.

"Just some old music or something. I don't know. It must be a prank. Listen, I'm going to take half a day. I've been meaning to get a few things taken care of. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Elliot spoke quickly and otherwise didn't allow time for any more questions, as he strode out of the shouting range of his co-workers.


	2. Chapter 2

Olivia, Munch and Finn were left to stare at each other dumbly, wondering what had just happened.

"Well," Munch started with a sigh, "you're going to have to go through Elliot's desk and find out what was on that tape." He spoke as though this were a sad inevitability.

"Who, me?" Olivia asked. "I'm not going through Elliot's personal stuff. He'll fill us in tomorrow."

Olivia didn't completely believe these words even as she spoke them. She imagined that Elliot would probably come in early the next day and dispose of whatever he had been delivered before anyone else got there, and the subject would never come up again.

"Anyway, whatever is going on with Elliot, that's his business, not ours."

As Olivia said this, she crept around to Elliot's desk and almost reverently opened the drawer where he had deposited the tape recorder and the packaging materials.

"Olivia, wait. Think about this." Finn warned, but he was too late. Olivia had already extracted what she wanted.

"If either of you tell him I did this, I swear I'll get you." Olivia pulled the earphones on and pushed the play button.

"What is it?" Finn asked, his curiosity overcoming his own misgivings about intruding on Elliot's privacy.

Olivia leaned into the earphones, pushing them against her head, concentrating on the sound.

"I don't know; some music. Wait. I know this song. It's from that musical, _The King and I_. It's the one about getting to know you."

Munch smiled wryly.

"I figured Elliot wouldn't care for musical theater, but I had no idea."

Just then, even though she had no direct knowledge of what this song meant or where it came from, Olivia intuited that it must be connected to Janine. Somehow, this tape and its accompanying message had been sent, either by Janine herself or at her direction, to remind Elliot of something. In short, the package had been sent to mock him. She knew all this with unassailable certainty. Disgusted, Olivia pulled the earphones off in the same manner that Elliot had. She then took the gesture one step further and smashed the tape player to the floor with a crash that made everyone in the room turn to look.

"That bitch!" Olivia croaked, not caring who saw or heard her.

Munch and Finn leaned back in their chairs, as shocked by the spectacle as anyone.

"Hey, you should be careful with those things. Cassette tape players are getting hard to find."

Olivia turned slowly in response to Munch's comment.

"It's from _her_." She said.

No other explanation was necessary. Munch sucked in a sharp breath and held it for a long moment.

"Are you sure? How do you know?" Finn asked.

"I know." Olivia answered, as she ripped through the packaging to find a note. It read, "I'm sorry. Please let me talk to you one more time." The note was unsigned, but Olivia knew as completely as she knew the sun would rise in the East that it was from Janine.

Over two years had passed since Elliot's ordeal and things had gotten more or less back to normal. There were still some days here and there when Olivia could see something eating at Elliot, but that had been true before his abduction. And now, this: a cassette tape and a message from Janine, asking him to visit her again. Olivia could not let this pass.

"I'm going to go see her. She and I are going to have a little talk." Olivia hastily began gathering some items and otherwise clearing her desk.

"This is Elliot's situation." Finn said. He's a grown man; he'll work it out. Let him deal with it in his own way."

"I will." Olivia said. "Just as soon as I let her know exactly what's going to happen to her if she tries pulling something like this again."

"Okay, okay. I'll go with you. Just don't beg; it's embarrassing." Munch said. Olivia ignored Munch but also didn't try to stop him, and he had to rush to catch up with her as she made her way outside.


	3. Chapter 3

The ride to the Federal prison where Janine was being kept was quiet, and the day had passed well into the afternoon by the time Olivia and Munch arrived. They settled into their chairs and waited in silence for Janine to be brought to the other side of the clear partition, which had been made less clear from years of people scratching names, initials and symbols into it. When Janine finally approached, she looked into the eyes of her visitors, directly but also calmly and without any apparent animosity. Olivia was struck by how clean and unblemished Janine looked, both in physical appearance and demeanor. Her hair had become darker and longer, but if anything, this accentuated her delicate features and alabaster skin. It was nauseating to think of this woman doing the things she had done.

"Hello, Janine. You remember us?" Olivia took the lead in the conversation.

Janine nodded.

"Yes, I remember, detectives. How are you?"

"We didn't come here to exchange pleasantries. We saw the package you sent Elliot. We're here to warn you not to do it again."

Olivia expected Janine to challenge her and perhaps deny she had done this, or demand just what retribution Olivia had in mind. Instead, Janine took on a puzzled, uncertain appearance.

"I'm sorry detectives, I don't understand. A package? I didn't send a package, just a note asking if he would come to see me one more time."

Olivia and Munch exchanged a weary look.

"There was the note you just described and a cassette tape with a song."

"Oh." Janine wrinkled her forehead. "I met a few friends in here and one of them got out a couple of weeks ago. I asked her to deliver the message, but that's all. I guess she decided to get cute. I'm sorry. I truly am."

Janine's conciliatory tone irked her visitors; if they had not seen with their own eyes the human wreckage she had created, they might have been tempted to believe she was sincere.

"I have to confess that I was sort of mad when I first got here and I did some bragging. It was stupid. She must have gotten the idea from that to make a cassette recording. I really do apologize. I didn't mean to upset anyone." Janine continued.

"We don't care what you meant. We're just here to tell you that will not attempt to contact any more of your victims, because if you do we will personally see to it that you live to regret it. However bad your incarceration is now, I can guarantee that I will make it a hundred times worse. I know some of the administrators and guards for this prison. We're just itching for an excuse to make your life unbearable."

Olivia was bluffing somewhat; she didn't have the great contacts here that she represented, but she silently swore to herself that if she had to, she could make those contacts and make good on her promise.

Janine nodded earnestly.

"I understand. Believe me, the last thing I want to do is cause anyone else any more pain. I just wanted to tell Elliot that in person, and also to let him know that I'm working on becoming a better person ever since I found the Lord. Knowing Jesus has made all the difference in my life."

Munch sputtered derisively.

"That's the best you can do? Really? That's the oldest con in the penal system. You worship Jesus less than I do. Please."

Olivia couldn't help a little smirk as well.

"I have to say I expected something a little more original coming from you. I guess in the end, you're just another pathetic little hack. Just remember what I said about contacting Elliot or any of the other people you kidnapped. It happens again, and you'll have plenty of time to think about Jesus when you're in solitary confinement for the rest of your life."

Janine nodded again, placid as a cold lake.

"I do understand. And God bless you."

Without further ado, Olivia and Munch rose to leave. Olivia looked back at Janine one last time, expecting to catch fiery anger directed at her. Instead, Janine's face remained as blank and guileless as when they arrived. A flicker of doubt about whether Janine was the same maniac she had been two years ago threatened to enter Olivia's consciousness, but she quickly extinguished it. Whether or not Janine had really become a changed person was irrelevant. After what she had done, she deserved whatever happened to her.


	4. Chapter 4

As Munch and Olivia exited the prison, they were focused on crossing to the parking lot and in the faltering light failed to notice a tall figure leaning against the wall to the right of the door, his arms crossed in front of him. They had just walked past him when his raised voice cut through the still air and made both of them jump a few inches off the ground.

"So, did you get what you needed?"

It took Olivia and Munch a few seconds to answer as they both staggered backward, clutching at their chests in shock.

"God, Elliot! Are you trying to scare us to death? What are you doing here?" Olivia gasped.

"I could ask you the same thing."

Olivia and Munch glanced at each other guiltily.

"Okay, we kind of looked at your message that you got this afternoon. The message that you said was nothing, even though it was obviously something." Olivia said.

Elliot continued to stand with his arms crossed in front of him.

"You went through my desk. Invaded my privacy." Elliot continued staring accusingly at Olivia who, for her part, couldn't find a response. Munch finally volunteered to break the tension.

"I told her not to meddle in your business, but there was no stopping her, so I came along just to make sure she was okay." Munch punctuated his claim by slowly, sadly shaking his head from side to side, as though he too were terribly disappointed in Olivia.

"We came here to tell her to never contact you again, that's all." Olivia continued. "I suppose you came here to do the same thing?"

"No, I changed my mind about leaving work, and had to ask Finn where everybody went. Come on, Olivia. Are we going to go through this again with the trust issues?"

"You tell me. I thought we were going to be open about all this. No more secrets, right? You wouldn't share any information about what you got in that package. I had to investigate. What else was I supposed to do?"

Elliot had to admit to himself that she had a point, but he wasn't about to give in.

"Maybe I didn't spill my guts right there, right that second, but I would have told you about it if you had just given me a little space." Elliot didn't know if what he had just said was entirely true, but he wanted to believe that he was being honest by saying this.

"Okay, you're right. I'm sorry. We're both sorry, right?" Olivia cued Munch with her elbow.

"It won't happen again." He admitted.

Elliot sighed and loosened his stance.

"Good enough for me. Let's go get something to eat." He said as he led the other two towards their cars.

On the drive back, Olivia decided to ride with Elliot. She wanted more quality time to talk, but she soon receded into her own thoughts and didn't speak for a long time.

Finally, almost musing to herself she muttered, "Why now?"

"What?" Elliot asked.

"Why now? Why contact you now? After all this time?" Olivia asked, this time more pointedly.

Elliot shrugged.

"Who knows. She's a nutcase. It doesn't have to make any sense, and there's no sense in us trying to figure it out."

"I guess." Olivia sighed, and let the conversation move on to more pleasant topics.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, as Elliot approached his desk, Cragen anxiously intercepted him and diverted Elliot to quiet space away from the gatherings of people in the room.

"What's up, Captain?" Elliot asked.

Cragen's eyes nervously shifted back and forth before he answered.

"There's someone here to see you- Bishop James Ramey."

Elliot impulsively looked up and scanned the room. A Catholic Bishop was here to see him? Members of the clergy had approached him before for help, but a Bishop was a different matter.

"Well, what does he want?" Elliot asked.

The shadows in Cragen's face deepened.

"I'd rather let him explain why he's here." Cragen said before he turned to lead Elliot back to his office.

Elliot smoothed his shirt and ran his hands over his hair just before they entered the Captain's office, where the Bishop waited.

Bishop Ramey was sitting in one of the chairs opposite Cragen's desk, but he turned and hurried to stand up as Elliot entered the room.

"No, please, Bishop Ramey. Don't get up." Elliot rushed to meet the Bishop's outstretched hand and shook it heartily.

"Detective Stabler, it's very good to meet you." The Bishop was a large, florid man with an open, jovial countenance. His wide face broadened even further in a welcoming smile.

"Please, call me Elliot."

"Thank you. That's very nice."

All the men found chairs and sat in triangular arrangement.

"So…" Elliot started amiably, "what can I do for you?"

The Bishop cleared his throat.

"I'm afraid this is a rather touchy issue. As you may know, I go to the various prisons around the state to visit with inmates and help them find the healing power of God."

Elliot nodded and continued to smile, even though he felt something shift uncomfortably in his stomach.

"I have most recently made my acquaintance with a very troubled young woman at the Federal penitentiary west of here. You know who I mean?"

Elliot knew exactly who the Bishop meant, but shook his head from side to side, not wanting to believe this was happening. The Bishop continued.

"It's Janine Burke. I know you have had a, uh, difficult history with her. But I've talked to her extensively, and I think she's genuinely trying to change her life. She's dedicated her life to serving the Lord. I've decided to help her, and I know that I and the church would be eternally grateful if you could help us help her."

Elliot clenched his teeth, conflicted about how to respond. If this had been anyone else saying these things to him, he would have thrown them out without hesitation. However, Bishop Ramey being who he was, Elliot struggled to remain calm.

"With all due respect, Bishop, I don't think that a 'difficult history' really does the situation justice. And also with all due respect, there is no way on this earth that I am ever going to help that…" Elliot struggled with what would be an appropriate word, "woman."

Bishop Ramey put up a hand.

"I understand. And I just want to say…"

"No, I don't think you do understand, Bishop. She kidnapped, tortured and molested – no, raped – several young men with the help of an accomplice. She's evil, and she's a con artist, and it seems like she's conned you into thinking she's redeemable. She's not. Please, Bishop, I know your heart's in the right place, but you're wasting your time with her. I don't know what it is you're trying to help her with, but she's not worth your attention."

The Bishop allowed the awkward silence to hang in the air for a moment before he picked up the conversation again in his deep, soothing voice.

"Elliot, all I was trying to say was that I understand that terrible things happened to you and others as a result of this young lady's actions. However, I have reviewed her case thoroughly, and I don't think you can argue with me when I say that she's obviously mentally ill."

"Yeah, maybe she's crazy, but so what? She knew that what she was doing was wrong and she didn't care. She enjoys hurting other people."

"Also," the Bishop continued, "she never really had a hearing on that. This girl needs professional help, not to be thrown behind bars and forgotten about."

"That's exactly what she needs."

The Bishop grumbled incoherently for a moment, then said, "There is a round of executive pardons coming up. I have submitted a formal request that she be included on the pardon list. Due to the high profile nature of her crimes, a supervisory board with the authority to make a recommendation as to whether Janine will be pardoned and released from prison has been appointed to hold a hearing on the matter. Now, before you think that she would just be getting out of prison free and clear, let me assure you that's not the case. If she were to be pardoned, it would only be under the condition that she will be transferred to a mental health facility indefinitely, until such time, if ever, she is determined to no longer be a threat to society."

Elliot chose his next words carefully.

"With all due respect, Bishop, if you think I'm going to help Janine Burke with anything other than staying in prison until she dies, you're just as insane as she is."

"Elliot…" Cragen began, but then found himself as a loss for words. He didn't like the tone Elliot was taking with the Bishop, but couldn't say he disagreed with anything he had said.

Bishop Ramey huffed, forcing air out through his nose.

"I was hoping you would have love and forgiveness in your heart for your fellow human, and that you would join me at a hearing scheduled to take place in a week, asking that Janine be pardoned and removed to a mental health facility for proper treatment and rehabilitation."

Elliot blinked as though trying to wake from a bad dream.

"You don't have that power. I mean, the sentence has been set. She made a deal to serve life in prison. No board can approve what you're talking about."

"Actually, with the influence and support of some very important people, they can. And, after they are presented with the sad facts of this poor girl's life, I'm confident that they will, with or without your help. I'm just disappointed that you are so bitter and harbor such anger that you cannot find your way to help another person so obviously in distress."

"Wait just a minute. That's not fair." Cragen leaned forward, almost standing up out of his chair. "Elliot has helped more people that you can imagine, and I will not sit here and listen to you or anyone else accuse him of being anything less than a good, decent man. I don't think there's anything else to say about this. It's probably best if you leave now."

The Bishop slowly hefted his weight from his chair.

"I'm sorry we couldn't end this meeting on a happier note. And I'm sorry about what happened to you, Elliot. But mark my words, Janine is going to get the help she needs. I've taken on her cause as mine, and I've never suffered a lost cause."

Elliot stared at the floor, unable to fully comprehend the meaning of the conversation that had just taken place.

"She's lying to you, Bishop. She's trying to trick you, and you can mark _my_ words, she will drag you down with her if she gets half a chance."

The Bishop opened the door to let himself out.

"Good day to you, gentlemen."


	6. Chapter 6

Olivia looked up when she heard Cragen's door open, and raised her eyebrows at the person who exited. She recognized Bishop Ramey from his many appearances in the media, and couldn't wait for Elliot to get back to his desk to start asking questions. It didn't take long for Elliot to convey a summary of what had transpired in Cragen's office.

Olivia gaped in wonder at what the Bishop had said, then considered the situation thoughtfully.

"Janine said something about that yesterday. She said she had found God and had seen the light or something, and that's why she wanted to make amends with you."

Olivia touched her fingertips to her lips in reflection.

"I knew she was trying to pull something. Now I guess we know what it is. She's got this hearing coming up that will allow her to be transferred someplace where she'll be coddled and…"

"Maybe one day released back into society if they determine that she's been cured of being a sadist?" Elliot finished Olivia's train of thought.

"Elliot, you and I have to go that hearing and speak out against that. We can't let this happen."

"Yeah, I was thinking that, too. But how much stock are they going to put into what we say? Bishop Ramey is just going to tell them we've got a personal vendetta."

"We have to come up with a game plan. And we have to find out exactly how someone so powerful like Bishop Ramey came to be so gung ho to help Janine. Something about all this stinks." Olivia said.

"Yeah, there's something else going on here. Something we're not seeing."

At that moment, Munch happened by, and seeing Elliot and Olivia caught up in their intense conversation ambled in closer.

"What's going on?"

Olivia and Elliot looked at each other in tacit agreement.

"There's something we need you and Finn to help us out with." Elliot said.


	7. Chapter 7

After quickly bringing Munch up to speed, they decided that Munch and Finn would do some background investigation into Janine and Bishop Ramey and their strange crusade, while Elliot and Olivia started their own campaign to find people who would argue against Janine's transfer to a mental health facility.

The task immediately became more difficult than expected. More than half of Janine's victims and their families had moved out of state and obviously did not want to be found. Janine's first victim, the most broken of them all, was confined in a mental health facility himself, still recovering even now and unable to help. Another of her victims had killed himself shortly before the rescue.

They finally narrowed the list of potential witnesses to just a couple of the victims, and of those, only one had a current, local address, a young man named Crawford Brown. While Elliot was aware of who he was, they had never spoken to each other and didn't have any contact with each other. Crawford had been the second college student kidnapped by Janine, and had been missing for months before being rescued. Not knowing anything else about him, however, Elliot could nevertheless be fairly sure that Crawford would help them keep Janine in prison. They caught up with him during a break from his job at an unkempt video store that looked like it was on the precipice of going out of business.

Crawford himself seemed like a personification of the store where he worked. He appeared hastily assembled, and with his long hair, bent posture and too-thin frame, he bore little resemblance to the confident, clean-cut college picture that had been distributed when he first went missing.

Crawford lit a cigarette before he was all the way out of the store and, after taking a long drag, looked up at Elliot expectantly.

"So, what do you want, detective?"

"You know who I am?" Elliot asked.

Crawford took another lengthy pull off his cigarette and exhaled luxuriously before answering.

"Yeah, man. I know who you are. What do you want from me?"

"Did you know there's a chance that Janine may be transferred out of prison and sent to a psych hospital?"

"Yeah. Some old fat guy came to see me a couple of days ago. Asked me to support the transfer. I told him to suck it."

Elliot and Olivia exchanged a bemused glance.

"That 'old fat guy' was a Catholic Bishop."

"So what? That don't mean anything to me. I don't believe in God. Not anymore. So what do I care?"

Crawford pulled out another cigarette and lit it from the one he had almost used up.

"The reason you ought to care is because he has a lot of powerful friends, and he may very well succeed in getting that woman transferred out of prison." Olivia said.

"What am I supposed to do about it?"

"You could go with us to the hearing they're going to have and tell them about what she did. You can convince the board that she is exactly where she needs to be." Elliot leaned in to emphasize the importance of what he was saying.

Crawford shifted his eyes away from Elliot's intense stare, and as he answered, the cigarette smoke leaked out with every word.

"You think you know. You don't. You were there, what, a week? You look like you're all better now. Good for you. I was there for months, and I'm never going to be right again. My letter designation was "B" and so I can't even read a sentence now without being reminded. It's the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing that crosses my mind when I go to bed. I can't even have peace when I sleep, because I still have nightmares. I was a sophomore majoring in Political Science. That's all over, too. My nerves are shot; I can't handle school or exams. And after the things they did to me, I'm all messed up, you know? I can't…" Crawford's eyes teared up for the first time and his cheeks reddened from the shame, "I can't even go to the bathroom like a normal person. Jesus."

Crawford massaged his forehead, pushed the water out of his eyes, and the hard exterior reasserted itself around him like a thick, dark cloak as he found a third cigarette and used the second one to light it.

"You're right. What you went through was a million times worse than what I did." Elliot said. "That's why it's so important that you be there. You need to tell these people what you just told us. Tell them what she's capable of, so she never sees the light of day for the rest of her life."

"The one thing that's always comforted me since then is this one thought: I will never have to see her or be in the same room with her ever again. That's my one last piece of comfort I have, and you're asking me to throw that away. I'm sorry. I know you're trying to do the right thing, but I just can't."

Crawford threw his half-finished cigarette down and turned to retreat back into his building.

"I just can't." He repeated once more before he disappeared through the doorway.

Both Elliot and Olivia desperately wanted to say something, but neither could think of anything that wouldn't sound awful. And so they could only watch their witness slip away.

"I hate this." Olivia said, after Crawford had disappeared into the store. "I hate how someone can continue inflicting pain even after they've been put away. You think it's over, and it isn't. It's never over."

"I know." Elliot said.

He paused, continuing to stare at the closed door, deep in thought.

"What is it?" Olivia asked.

Elliot took a long time to answer, and when he did, his voice was flat and detached.

"If you hadn't found me when you did; if I had been trapped there for months, like this poor kid… I don't know. I might have ended up like that. Unable to work at any real job, probably living off disability for the rest of my life." Elliot shuddered at the way his situation could have turned out and the cruel randomness of it all.

"But that didn't happen. We did find you. You're okay now. Try not to think about what could have happened."

Elliot nodded. He didn't want to become too reflective about the situation, not yet. He preferred to take action now and put off having to think about it until later.


	8. Chapter 8

They quickly found Munch and Finn, who were rapidly exchanging information in hushed tones.

"What did you guys find?" Elliot asked.

"You're not going to believe this." Finn said, and handed Elliot a thick legal document.

"What's this?"

"That," Munch started, "is the silver spoon that has been jammed in Janine's mouth since the day she was born."

Elliot flipped through the papers, scanning each one.

"It's an irrevocable trust." Finn explained. "It says she gets a set amount each month until she turns 35. Until then, nobody can touch the nest egg, not her creditors, nobody. Then, after her 35th birthday, the whole thing is released to her all at one time. Turns out her grandfather made some smart real estate investments or something. Anyway, I guess that's how she funded her kidnapping activities without being gainfully employed."

"You didn't tell them the best part." Munch said. "Janine is being sued in civil court by her victims and their families. Now, check out this convergence: the trust says that if Janine is dead or incarcerated on the day of her 35th birthday, the money is dissolved and distributed to various charities. However, if Janine is merely incapacitated, then the trust proceeds are frozen until the incapacitation is lifted. Here, incapacitation means she's either missing or hospitalized or otherwise unable to care for herself."

"Let me guess." Olivia said, "They aren't specific about what kind of hospitalization qualifies, so if the hospital she's in happens to be one for the criminally insane, she still gets to keep her trust fund."

"Nicely done." Munch answered.

"And how old is Janine now?" Olivia asked.

"She's 34, and her birthday is coming up in a few months." Finn said.

"I got to hand it to you guys. You really worked hard to cut through all this legalese." Elliot said.

"You have no idea how much blood, sweat and tears we poured into finding all this out." Munch agreed.

"Actually, we got the bank's trust fund manager to explain it to us. They're keeping a pretty close eye on the situation." Finn said.

"Wait, go back to the part about Janine getting sued." Olivia said.

"Right. Janine is being sued in civil court for violating the civil rights of her victims, among other things." Munch said.

Finn continued. "The victims and their families got together and hired a lawyer, and obviously they have a good case that they'd be able to win. The problem is, that until Janine turns 35, they can't get to the money in the trust." Finn said.

"And if Janine's still in prison on her 35th birthday, the money in the fund is gone forever." Elliot said.

"I'll be damned." Olivia broke in. "This gives Crawford and those other guys and their families another reason not to fight Janine's transfer to a mental health facility. They'd win the lawsuit, but if she's still in prison, there would be no money in it."

Elliot frowned.

"I can't believe all that pain we saw on that kid was an act, and that he's just in it for the money."

"I'm not saying that he was acting, but clearly he was holding out on us to some extent. His motivations for not helping us keep Janine in prison are more complicated than just not wanting to be in the same room with her." Olivia said.

"This still doesn't explain the Bishop's interest in all this. Is it possible he's actually working on behalf of the families? Trying to make sure they get some compensation for everything they've been through?" Elliot asked.

"If that's his motivation, then why didn't he say so when he came to talk to you?" Olivia asked.

"But what else is there that could make this Bishop go out of his way to take up Janine's cause?" Elliot asked.

"Yeah, I know. It's weird. People high up in the Catholic hierarchy have never protected sexual predators. It's totally unheard of." Munch's quip earned him some unhappy glares from his coworkers.

"I'm just saying…" Munch added, "That has been known to happen."

Elliot sighed.

"Can you guys do some more digging into what this hearing is all about? I think Olivia and I need to go and have another talk with Mr. Brown."

Elliot and Olivia found Crawford again as he was finishing his shift at the video store. He stopped to light the cigarette dangling from his mouth before he had taken two steps on the sidewalk, so there was no rush to catch up to him. Crawford looked up, dully registering the detectives before returning his concentration to his smoking.

"Oh, good." He said flatly. "You're back. Now what?"

"I think you might have forgotten to mention another reason you don't want to help us. You want to tell us about your lawsuit?" Olivia asked.

"What lawsuit?"

Elliot pulled out a copy of the complaint and handed it to Crawford for his inspection. Crawford didn't seem to notice or care that ashes were falling onto the papers as he read through them.

"Look more carefully, detectives. It's my parents who are suing her, vicariously, on my behalf, using their power of attorney over me. I think that's true about most of the guys and their families. Personally, I don't care about her money. I just want to be left alone. My parents are suing because they say that since I can't get a college diploma or ever work a real job, I'm going to be a financial burden to them for the rest of their lives. I guess I messed up their retirement plans by getting kidnapped and raped."

Elliot stepped closer to Crawford and took back the copy of the complaint.

"I'm sure that's not it. They're just worried about how you're going to take care of yourself after they're gone."

Crawford patted himself down, looking for his next cigarette.

"Whatever."

He found the nearly empty pack and tapped out one of the two remaining cigarettes.

"Is there anything else you want?" Crawford asked, eager to end the conversation.

"Just one thing." Elliot said. "Before you definitely decide that you're not going to speak to the board at Janine's hearing, why don't you go talk to Dr. Huang about it. You did therapy with him for several months after your rescue, didn't you?"

"Yeah. He's all right."

"Just talk it over with him. That's all I ask." Elliot said.

"And think about this, too." Olivia added. "If Janine is still in prison a few months from now, when she turns 35, all her money goes away and your parents will get nothing from their lawsuit."

For the first time since they met him, Crawford perked up a little, and his eyes glimmered with a spark of life.

"Seriously? Is that true?" Crawford looked at Elliot for confirmation.

Elliot hesitated a moment.

"Yes, that's right." He finally said.

Crawford nodded solemnly.

"I'll think about it." He said, as he lit his new found cigarette off of his old one and walked as quickly as he could to the nearest convenience store.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, back at the station Elliot quickly found Munch to inquire about his latest findings. They needed more help, and they were running out of time.

"Did you find out who's on the hearing panel? What did they say?" Elliot asked.

"Yeah, it's a three person panel, headed up by Louise Siver, a semi-socialite and charity booster who knows the Bishop from her many good works. The other two are probably lesser peers of hers. They're going to take one day to listen to anyone who wants their testimony taken into consideration. Anyone who can keep their comments brief enough to fit into that time frame is welcome to be heard. Bet the farm that the good Bishop will be taking up most of that time singing Janine's praises."

"What about appointing someone to represent the victims?"

"Well, the Bishop wasn't appointed, per se. He's there of his own volition. And besides," Munch pinched his voice into an unflattering imitation of the woman he had spoken to, "this isn't a court of law, detective. It's an informal hearing on whether or not a young woman deserves to be given an executive pardon."

"Oh, I see. I assume Olivia and I can be there to observe and make our statements."

"Sure. Just don't expect to be comfortable. They're holding the hearings in a meeting room at the prison, usually meant as a place for clients and their lawyers to confer. Let me know how it goes with cramming seven or eight people in there at a time."


	10. Chapter 10

Janine demurely made her way to the confessional. She had been practicing for several months now to take smaller, more delicate steps when she walked to better represent herself. It was one of the many techniques she had learned from the therapist who visited every few weeks. Settling in, she could see Bishop Ramey's profile obscured on the other side of the screen.

"Forgive me, for I have sinned. It has been three days since my last confession."

Janine crossed herself, bowing her head. Bishop Ramey grunted and responded in his gravelly voice.

"Unburden yourself, my dear."

"I have been having unkind thoughts about someone on the outside. She's a cop who thinks she's better than everybody else. I feel she has wronged me. I wish for things to happen to her; I think of bad things happening to her."

The Bishop shifted uncomfortably.

"God forgives you. Say five Hail Marys as you…"

"Wait." Janine interrupted, her voice tinged with a hard edge of irritation. "I'm not finished."

"Go on then."

"Why should I not bring harm to this woman?"

The Bishop reddened with anger and surprise, and he took a moment to answer.

"Well, for one thing, you're incarcerated. She's beyond your reach."

"That doesn't answer my question. Whether or not she's beyond my influence is not relevant to the question. The question is, why shouldn't I hurt her? She's hurt me, and shouldn't I be able to strike back? An eye for an eye- isn't that what the Bible says?"

"I didn't come here to argue the ethos of the Bible with you. If you don't have anything more to confess, then I have appointments to keep elsewhere."

The mad giggling that emanated from the other side of the confessional seared the Bishop's spine, and the hair on his arms stood out. Gradually, Janine's hysterics died down.

"Did you get to talk to Elliot?" she asked.

"Yes. He's not going to help us. I told you he wouldn't."

"What did he look like- what did he say? Did he ask about me?"

"What kind of questions are those? When are you going to get it through your sick head that your pathetic obsession is one-sided?"

Janine hummed at the Bishop's admonition.

"You're just saying that because you don't know him. Not like I do. I know every corner of him. He was mine once, you know." Janine spoke in a dreamy tone as she swayed slightly from side to side, remembering.

The Bishop growled with disgust and moved to get up and out of the confessional.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Janine asked.

"I'm not going to continue to listen to this."

"Yes, you will. Don't you dare leave this box until I tell you can leave. Or maybe I should go ahead and tell the authorities about what you did."

Slowly, reluctantly, the Bishop lowered his large frame back down on the seat.

"I don't suppose you've ever met that bitch cop, Olivia? She was the one who threatened me, thinks she's better than every one else. You see, I know people on the outside who would love to do stuff for me and for my money, but if I had them attack her for me, I wouldn't get any personal satisfaction from that. Then again, even if I tore her apart myself, it's not nearly as gratifying as doing it to a man. Men are so much more fun to play with. Did you ever molest a boy, Bishop, or was it always little girls?"

Now Bishop Ramey was shaking, and he had to struggle to keep his voice steady.

"I never touched children. That's a filthy, slanderous lie. The girl, Angie, she was the only one I ever… I was in love with her. I never meant to hurt her, I just wanted to be near her and touch her and… She was fifteen. Fifteen is a young woman, not a child. It was never a child I…" He allowed his voice to trail off, hoping that Janine wouldn't press him for further confession.

"Give me a break. Maybe your superiors at the church buy that story, but nobody's buying it here. You molested that one girl and no others the whole time you were a parish priest? I'm new to this religion, so I'm not sure, but I would think that lying in a confessional is probably a sin, huh?"

Janine waited for him to answer, but when no answer was forthcoming, she continued in her reflective, wistful tone.

"I tortured a few girls, you know, when I was first experimenting. Not little girls, like you, but young women, actually. They'd sob and plead and that was all well and good, but it somehow felt a little too easy. Guys are different. They're raised to keep everything inside. They're not allowed to cry. They're supposed to stay strong, so they'll act all tough as long as they can. Inside, they're humiliated and hurt, but you have to work on them a while to get them to show it. It's like watching streaks of a sunrise begin to burst through lace curtains. Then when they do finally break, it's such a transcendent experience. It's indescribable, really. I remember the first young man I took back to my basement. He had played Rugby the first year he was in college, and…"

"Stop!" The Bishop's voice now quaked uncontrollably. "For the last time, this is a confessional, not a stage for your disgusting bragging."

"What's the difference?" she asked.

"I will not just sit here and allow you to make a mockery of the confessional. It is sacred, and furthermore…"

Janine cut him off.

"Lucky for you, I have things to do, so you can go now. But the next time we talk, you had better have some good news about my transfer to the crazy-people's hospital, or some of those heartwarming pictures you took of yourself and poor little Angie might start finding their way to the media."

Bishop Ramey didn't answer, but he knew he would have to work fast to get Janine moved out of prison. Whatever he had to do, the Bishop was not going to allow this maniac to ruin his life. The hearing for her pardon would be successful; it had to be.


	11. Chapter 11

Over the following days, Elliot and Olivia made no progress finding other witnesses who were willing or able to help them keep Janine in prison. The victims and their families wanted no part of it, and shielded themselves and others from the detectives' inquiries.

The date of the hearing arrived quickly, and Elliot and Olivia found themselves standing outside the room where the hearing was to take place early that morning, waiting for the others to arrive.

"Are we doing the right thing?" Elliot asked.

"What do you mean? We've got to keep that lunatic in prison." Olivia said.

"A lot of these kids are going to need long term care, though. They could really use that money, and the only way they're going to get it is if she's in a mental hospital, not in prison. And what about the families? They're going to need financial help to take care of their sons."

"I wish we could have it both ways, Elliot, but we can't. All the money in the world can't justify the risk of unleashing her on the public again. You know it's the right thing. And so does Crawford. That's why he's coming to testify this morning."

"I know. I just want to do more to fix this somehow. I couldn't help those kids before; I want to be able to do something this time."

At that moment, Elliot and Olivia could hear the board members approaching before they could see them. A few minutes after the arrival of the board, the detectives had watched as Janine, escorted by a guard and the Bishop, passed by as well. She didn't look at them, but kept her head bowed slightly until she was out of sight.

"Are you ready?" Olivia asked.

Elliot took a deep breath and nodded as he opened the door for her and then let himself in. They entered the hearing room in time to see the Bishop approach Louise, the head of the fact-finding committee, his arm outstretched in glad greeting. They obviously knew each other, as the woman assigned to lead the committee smilingly leaned in to his handshake and grasped his thick hands in both of hers.

"Louise, it's a pleasure as always. I swear you seem even more lovely every time I see you."

The Bishop continued to gush over her, obsequious almost to the point of sarcasm or parody. But if Louise noticed this overage, she did not give any sign. She continued to smile broadly, her cheeks turning a slight tinge of pink under the glow of his compliments.

Olivia made a quiet gagging noise audible only to Elliot as they continued along the wall of the small room to two of the chairs lining the perimeter. Even though the pardon committee was comprised of only three people, there was barely enough room at the tables for them, Bishop Ramey, Janine and one witness. All other seating was lined against the walls, away from the tables and for observation purposes only.

Elliot had asked Crawford to arrive early so that he could say what he wanted to say and then leave as quickly and painlessly as possible. It had not occurred to Elliot that the Bishop would not only have an introductory speech about Janine's childhood and the path that had brought her to her present fate, but also would take more than two hours to complete the speech. The prison rules did not allow visitors to smoke in the hallways, so the longer Crawford was kept waiting outside the room, the heavier his chain smoking burden became.

Although Elliot and Olivia had not known the specifics about what had made Janine what she was today, neither were they surprised. After all, most wolves start their lives as lambs. Born into privilege and opulence, the wealthy grandfather who had made Janine's lifestyle possible had also personally shaved her legs for the first time before her age met the double digits. He usually justified his increasingly horrendous abuse with passages from the Bible. Beatings were common, but the incestuous sex was even more frequent.

Finally, the family deemed it appropriate to send Janine away to a preparatory boarding school, and for the first time since she could remember, she was removed from the reach of her grandfather. The terrible, twisted feelings of love and hate festered within her, expressed as acts of random cruelty to her schoolmates and, on at least one occasion, her roommate's pet ferret, which was found skinned and disemboweled under the roommate's sheets. When questioned about whether she was responsible for the ferret's death, Janine denied any involvement and added for good measure, "Looks like my roommate got her period."

The ferret incident resulted in Janine's expulsion, but her family's money bought her way into enough schools to eventually allow graduation, despite many more expulsions. Her adult behavior was predictable, but none of this, to Elliot and Olivia, excused Janine from the horror she had inflicted on others.

At last, the Bishop wrapped up his story of Janine's life, and Louise and the rest of the panel stretched, checking their watches.

"Oh dear, it's almost lunch time. Do we have time to hear Mr. Brown? I hope he hasn't been waiting all this time." Louise looked to Bishop Ramey for his input, but Elliot spoke first.

"Actually, it might be a good idea to break for lunch. Everyone can come back refreshed."

Elliot imagined Crawford in the hallway, in the full grip of nicotine withdrawal by now, having been deprived of his cigarettes for hours. There was also the terrible anticipation, which certainly would have been eating at him all this time. A lunch break would give him a chance to replenish his nicotine levels and Elliot could talk to him, help him calm down before he had to describe his own personal hell to strangers.

Bishop Ramey was as fully aware of Crawford's predicament as Elliot. However, the Bishop had a different view of how to proceed.

"Please, I know everyone is eager to take a break, but this young man has been waiting patiently since I started my talking, and I would feel awful if we put him off any longer. I'm sure he won't take long. Then we can let him go home."

Louise frowned at the thought of postponing lunch, but agreed with the Bishop and sent one of the other members of the panel to retrieve him.


	12. Chapter 12

Crawford entered the room a moment later, his disorientation clear from the way he started in the opposite direction from the witness chair. Olivia quickly rose and caught his arm, directing him to turn around, pointing out his seat. Crawford grasped the chair like a life raft and fell into it uneasily. It was immediately obvious to everyone how jittery he was, and Elliot prayed that the board would believe it was entirely due to his nervousness at the situation, and not at least partly due to the fact that he had a chain smoking habit that had been denied for too long.

The Bishop paced the room as gracefully as he could within the close quarters. No one in the room missed Crawford's awkward and purposeful avoidance of looking at Janine. Bishop Ramey smiled benevolently at the young man and spoke with almost reverential respect.

"Hello, Mr. Brown. Thank you for coming here today. I know this is difficult for you, but it's important for the board to hear from all sides of this issue. Do you remember me?"

For a moment, Crawford's face twisted at the question as though he were about to spit something across the room, and Elliot feared that he was about to say something disrespectful. But the tense moment passed, and Crawford relaxed again before he answered.

"Yes, sir. You're Bishop Ramey."

"And you know what all this is about?"

"Yes, sir."

The Bishop nodded and gestured towards the young man with open palms.

"Go ahead and say your peace, then."

Crawford shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. Elliot silently willed him to look up from the table and meet the eyes of the three person panel, but Crawford seemed incapable of looking at anything but the table or the floor.

"This woman that you're thinking about pardoning has ruined my life. I guess that's what I want you to understand. She's ruined a lot of people's lives. I had an A average my first semester of college. I was going to do an internship in Washington that summer. Then I went out with some friends one night, and I guess we got separated because the next thing I knew, I was in this room with no windows. They took my clothes. I was kept in a box so small, I couldn't move. She'd make us stay in those boxes for hours and days. She would keep us weak and awake for days with the drugs they injected into us. We'd hallucinate, too; horrible hallucinations, like nightmares that seemed real. Trapped in those boxes, feeling like my skin was going to jump off my body, I thought I'd go insane. They would tell us what was going to happen to us and then make us wait, wondering when it was going to come. Sometimes nothing would happen for days or weeks, but then they'd do it. First it was the beatings. Then they made you watch while they raped someone else. Then, one day it would be your turn."

Crawford slumped forward, the shame and anger creeping into his voice.

"I got to the point I just didn't want them to hurt me anymore, so I would try to, you know, be good. I would try to… please her." His voice cracked with the loathing he felt for himself. "Do you know what it's like to feel like your own body doesn't belong to you anymore? So I begged, like something not even human anymore, like a dog. I told them I'd do anything they wanted, just please don't hurt me anymore. It would just make her angrier, more disgusted with me. I'd get beaten worse for it."

Crawford stopped, and for the first time since entering the room, looked up at the panel with eyes shining like mirrors. Their faces were impassive, and this seemed to cause Crawford even more distress. He glanced around and found Elliot, who smiled and nodded encouragingly. In actuality, Elliot too was concerned by the panel's apparent lack of emotion. Now was not the time to let his consternation show, however, so he signaled that he thought Crawford was doing just fine. The witness took a deep breath.

"That's pretty much what I came here to say. If it's okay, I'd like to go home now. I don't like being around her."

Crawford indicated in Janine's general direction.

The Bishop stood and modestly raised his hand halfway.

"I understand this young man's eagerness to leave. He's obviously been through quite a time. I just wanted to ask a few questions first, with the panel's permission of course."

Louise nodded, never taking her eyes off of Bishop Ramey, and folded her hands under her chin in way that made her look not unlike a schoolgirl with a crush.

Tremors, either from nicotine deprivation or nerves or both, shook Crawford's body for a moment before he regained control. He swallowed hard in anticipation of the questioning.

"You had just successfully pledged a fraternity not long before your abduction, right?"

A fog rolled over Crawford's face, as though trying to recall something that had happened a hundred years ago. Finally, he answered in the affirmative.

The Bishop continued, "I never pledged a fraternity myself, but I'm interested in the ritual aspects of it, and I did some research. From what I understand, rushing that fraternity you joined in particular is pretty rough stuff. They make their pledges get naked and do unpleasant things to them. They get spanked with some hefty boards and even have to have intimate relations with, well, let's just say that there is experimentation with other species. You submit yourself to them. And there is also some partaking of alcohol, narcotics and other illicit drugs. That's what I read about your fraternity. Is all that true?"

"No, it's not." Crawford said.

Elliot appreciated the firm, terse way Crawford had denied the Bishop's allegations, but he could tell that the young man was beginning to lose his composure.

"So, my research is incorrect?"

"Yes, sir. It is." Crawford said.

"Excuse me, but what exactly are you getting at? How is this relevant?" Elliot asked, hoping to give Crawford a break from the Bishop's questioning.

Bishop Ramey shrugged amiably.

"I know that it wasn't a positive experience, what this boy went through. But honestly, was it really that much worse that what these kids do to each other in fraternities during rush week?"

Elliot started to rise out of his chair and cross the short space that separated him from the Bishop. What he would have done to the Bishop once he was within reach, Elliot himself didn't know, but Olivia's wiry grip on his arm kept him from finding out. Everyone redirected their attention to Crawford again, who was now himself standing up.

"Yeah, we got drunk sometimes. We smoked a bowl or two, I admit it. But they never beat me so bad I thought I was going to die. They never violated me. And they never held me down and forced things into me that made me bleed for days. No, she did that." Crawford pointed directly at Janine, his hand now shaking so badly it looked like a street sign caught in a hurricane.

"And I'm not going to stay here and let myself be violated all over again."

With that, Crawford slammed open the door and started out.

"Wait." Elliot said, and went after him; he wanted to put a comforting hand on Crawford's shoulder and talk to him, to reassure him he had done the right thing. But Crawford roughly jerked his arm out of Elliot's reach just as Elliot closed the distance between them, and then the young man was gone. There was silence for a long time in the hearing room before Louise finally spoke.

"Well, I think we're all certainly due for a lunch now. Let's meet back here in an hour." Louise said.

Outside, in the hallway, Elliot spoke to Olivia in hushed, distressed tones.

"Did you see the way the panel reacted to Crawford? It was like they were watching a movie. And were you watching Janine? She never budged. Her expression never changed. She's more disciplined. She's gotten better at keeping her feelings hidden."

Olivia considered this statement.

"My God. She was enjoying it, wasn't she? She got to revisit with one of her first victims and relive the good old days. I bet she was getting off on it. The only thing is, if she showed how much she liked what she was hearing, wouldn't that support her claim that she's crazy and needs professional help?"

"Maybe. It would make her pretty damn unsympathetic, too. I think the claim that she's crazy is self evident. The angle they're going for is to make her seem like she could get better. Like she's capable of being helped and cured, that someday she might learn to feel remorse."

Olivia knew that Crawford's testimony had brought back some terrible memories for her partner, and once again she felt helpless to do anything about it. Elliot rubbed the side of his face as though he were trying to remove a stain that would not come out, a gesture that reminded Olivia of a bad time when he was still recovering from his ordeal, and she had actually wondered if he would ever be himself again.

"How are you holding up?" She asked.

"I'll be okay."

"You want to go get some lunch?"

"I don't think I'll have an appetite for a long time." Elliot said.


	13. Chapter 13

Elliot had been lost in thought for the duration of the lunch break, so he didn't immediately recognize the new presence in the hearing room as the other participants filed in. Olivia had to shake him to alertness before he saw the next witness.

Dr. Huang made his way carefully through the crowded room to his chair. Elliot leaned forward and glared at him sharply, prompting a non-verbal expression of apology from Dr. Huang in return.

"What is he doing here?" Olivia hissed at Elliot.

"I don't know. It can't be about his sessions with the victims. Those are confidential."

As though in answer to the detectives' confusion, Ms. Siver brought the hearing to order and introduced the next witness.

"Dr. Huang was not a planned witness, but Bishop Ramey and Ms. Burke believed that his insights into her mental state would be helpful, and we're inclined to agree. The doctor was generous enough to come here upon our last minute request."

Louise changed her attention from the group to the witness.

"Now, Dr. Huang, have you had an opportunity to examine Ms. Janine Burke's mental health?"

Dr. Huang shifted himself in the direction of the three-person board.

"Yes. About six months ago, she was temporarily transferred from this prison to a high security ward for the criminally insane. I spoke with her several times during the two weeks she was there."

Ms. Siver nodded.

"And during that time, were you able to reach a conclusion about whether Ms. Burke is mentally ill?"

Dr. Huang cleared his throat and shifted again, clearly now uncomfortable.

"She's not what most people would consider sane. But…" Dr. Huang quickly began qualifying his statement, cutting off Louise Siver's next question. "I believe the more important question here is whether treatment would help her become a normal, functioning member of society. It will not."

The Bishop raised his hand.

Louise… excuse me, Ms. Siver, do you mind if I ask Dr. Huang a few questions?"

"Not at all." She said.

"Doctor, have you ever seen cases where the patient was deemed irretrievable, or incurable, but were nevertheless cured or helped in spite of all the naysayers?"

Dr. Huang shrugged.

"There are always exceptions. But I've spent a lot of time with Ms. Burke, and she is not one of them. Her psychosis is too ingrained. Perhaps if she had gotten professional help as a child, there might be some hope. The only way we can help her now is to keep her away from the public, where the temptation to hurt other people would overwhelm her sooner or later."

"This girl, she went through unimaginable abuse as a child, isn't that right?" Bishop Ramey asked.

"Yes, she did, but that doesn't justify…"

"And nobody has ever even tried to help her come to terms with that, or to help her regain her sanity, have they?"

"It would be a waste of time. Janine's psychosis is..."

One more time, Bishop Ramey cut off the doctor's statement.

"Why does she deserve to be written off? Because one of her victims is a good friend and colleague of yours?"

Now, the Bishop turned pointedly toward Elliot, and the eyes of the room followed.

Dr. Huang became intensely still and focused.

"I've spoken with several of Ms. Burke's victims, so I know exactly what she is capable of, that's true. But let me be clear. Above and beyond anything else, I am a professional. If I thought, for one minute, that treatment could help her, I would support it. It can't. So I won't."

The Bishop smiled.

"I think we've heard your relevant professional opinion, as well as your irrelevant prejudice. I don't have any more questions."

The board recommended another short break after the latest question and answer session, and everyone was glad to take it. Outside the hearing room, Huang shepherded the detectives to a quiet corner.

"I know you're angry, Elliot. I tried to call you this morning, but I'm guessing your cell phone works about as well as mine does inside all this concrete and steel."

"You counseled her? After everything she's done, you provided professional counseling for her? Was that some kind of cheap thrill for you, to hear the horror stories from the victims and then get the flip side from the perp?"

Huang straightened defensively.

"I was given an opportunity to analyze a female serial rapist who kept her victims alive for months. You know how rare that is. It's unheard of. I couldn't turn that down."

"Then what the hell were you thinking coming here? Couldn't you guess he was going to sandbag you?"

"And what if I had refused to come here? What message would that have sent? That the mental health community has turned its back on poor, little Janine, and once again, she had been abandoned. I thought it would be better to come here and explain to these people how dangerous she really is."

"Well, now you've confirmed her mental illness and led them to believe you won't help her because of a grudge." Olivia said.

"There's another reason I came here." Huang said. "I was afraid that the hearing wouldn't be going well. Whether or not they recommend a pardon hinges on whether they can be convinced that she is capable of controlling herself, and so far, she's been the perfectly behaved young woman, right?. I think I may know a way you can force her to break her composure and turn back into the mad dog she really is. These other meeting rooms have video cameras in them, don't they?"

"Yeah, so?" Elliot asked.

Huang intertwined his fingers as he searched for the most tactful way to approach the point he wanted to make.

"I know you hate to think about it, but I'm sure you're aware of an advantage you have over her. Janine told me what happened when you went to visit her just after her arrest. She told me what was said. Elliot, she's obsessed with you. I don't think I'm breaking any rules of confidentiality by pointing that out." He said.

Olivia looked at her shoes and wished this was over. She just wanted this to be over with, once and for all. She knew about Elliot's visit with Janine that took place about a month after her arrest. Janine's infatuation with Elliot was disgusting and abhorrent, but she had thought that at least that was the end of it.

Huang continued. "If you were to ask for a private meeting with her, she would eagerly agree to it."

"And then what? She's going to berserk just because I'm in the room? Or you think she's going to spill her guts and admit that this whole religious awakening, born again thing is a sham? Not likely." Elliot said.

"Like most narcissistic sociopaths, she thinks she's the smartest, most clever person here. We know she isn't. That's another advantage you have. I think we can arrange a set of circumstances that will provoke her, yes."

"Okay, let's say I do that. I'm supposed to pretend that I like her?" Elliot appeared sickened by the thought.

"That alone would definitely be a bit transparent, even to her. I had an additional angle in mind."


	14. Chapter 14

Over the insistent admonitions of Bishop Ramey, Janine fulfilled Dr. Huang's prediction that she would jump at the opportunity to be in a room alone with Elliot. The panel was notified, and they gladly agreed to take a longer break instead of rushing back to the hearing.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Bishop Ramey growled at his charge.

Janine slapped him on the chest in an appallingly familiar way that made the beefy man take half a step backward.

"I appreciate your concern, but I can handle this." She winked at him. "I handled it before."

By the time Janine walked into the room adjacent to the one where the hearing had been taking place, she was inoffensive and placid again. Nevertheless, she could not contain the salty grin that crawled up her cheeks when she saw Elliot casually leaning against the opposite wall. Waiting for her across the room, his own relaxed smile greeted her.

Her smile faded just as quickly when the inward-opening door swung shut to reveal a stern Olivia, now visible not three feet from where Janine stood. She glared at Janine with her arms crossed in front of her.

"Really, Elliot. Is this what it's come to? A big, strong guy like you is so scared of me that you have to bring your girlfriend to protect you?" Janine scolded.

"She's not my girlfriend, she's my partner. And I didn't want her here, but she insisted. It's important to maintain good relationships with co-workers. You understand."

Janine huffed, annoyed that Elliot had not taken the bait in her attempt to shame him into getting rid of Olivia.

"It's okay." Elliot continued, "Just ignore her. We'll talk, you and me. You'll forget she's even here."

Janine tried to regain the spirit she had entered with, and she shuffled over to the table to take a seat at the same time Elliot was finding his own chair on the opposite side. She tilted her head slightly and creased her forehead, trying to approximate an appearance of having hurt feelings.

"It's good to see you again." She started. "I didn't think you could stand to be around me."

Elliot folded his hands on top of the table between them.

"I know our last meeting wasn't very pleasant. I've had some time to think since then, and I realize now that you're sick. That's why you did those things. You need help. And for whatever it's worth, I hope you get that help."

"It's nice of you to say that. It would be even nicer if you gave that recommendation to the panel when they come back from break. Bishop Ramey seemed to think that you weren't so forgiving, after your talk with him."

"I know. That was a mistake. I tell you what. If you ask me to, I'll go in there and repeat what I just said. Just ask me, and I'll do it. I'll vouch for you." Elliot said.

Janine almost literally lost her breath at this offer, and she had to swallow hard before she could speak again.

"Elliot, would you please…"

"No, don't do it. Don't help her, Elliot." Olivia cut Janine off before she could finish her request. She then walked around to Elliot's side of the table and stood behind him, giving her a direct view of Janine. "After what she's done, she doesn't deserve it, and you don't owe it to her."

Janine recoiled.

"I'm not talking to you." Janine spat. She gathered herself and tried again.

"Please, Elliot."

Elliot blinked as though confused and uncertain what to do. Finally, he held his hands up in resignation.

"I'd help you if I could, but I have to work with Detective Benson every day. I'm sorry."

Olivia lifted her chin smugly at Janine and lightly draped her arm over Elliot's shoulder in a primal way, resembling a lioness. The message was clear: _he's mine, and you can't have him._

Janine turned her attention back to Elliot.

"Don't listen to her. She doesn't care about you. She just wants to control you."

Olivia guffawed.

"Takes one to know one. Don't you know by now how pathetic you really are? You'll never win."

Janine reddened with rage, hyperventilating and coiling as though she were preparing to spring from her chair and attack. In her mind's eye, Janine saw herself rushing Olivia, knocking her to the ground on her back. Janine imagined clutching Olivia's head in her hands and jamming her thumbs through her eyes until she could feel the brain.

Then, just as suddenly, Janine closed her eyes and forced herself to take deep, slow breaths. This was a calming technique she had learned in prison to help her control her anger and impulsiveness. Gradually, she brought herself back from the boiling point enough to realize that she had almost fallen for Olivia's ploy. Janine couldn't help but muse that if she had known how to control herself better before getting caught, she might not have landed herself in prison in the first place. She was now determined that she would not stay there.

Elliot and Olivia watched this display with disappointment. Janine had obviously learned even more self-control since being locked up than they suspected, and so this was going to be much harder than they hoped.

Janine opened her eyes again and smiled.

"You're absolutely right, Detective. That was rude of me. I apologize."

Janine again turned her attention to Elliot.

"I was glad to see Crawford again, although he doesn't seem to have recovered quite as well as you have. I could smell stale cigarette smoke all over him. Terrible, destructive habit. I hope that's not because of me."

Elliot started to say something, but sticking to the instructions Dr. Huang gave them, Olivia interrupted him and Elliot yielded to her.

"Actually, Crawford is doing just fine. He's got a job and takes care of himself. He's left you behind, just like the rest of the world." Olivia said, as convincingly as she could.

Elliot and Olivia expected Janine would be forced to turn her attention to Olivia again and would react with anger, but instead Janine completely ignored Olivia this time and held her eyes on Elliot.

"I admire your strength. I realized that then, but since then I've truly come to fully appreciate just how rare that kind of determination and strength really is. Crawford was telling the truth in there. He begged like a dog. They all did. But not you. You would have never bowed to me, not ever. You would have fought me with your dying breath. In fact, there was only one weakness you had."

Janine let that last comment hang in the air for a moment and rejoiced at the extraordinary tingling she felt in the pit of her stomach, watching Elliot's reaction, now for the first time apparently rapt and as focused on her as she was on him.

Olivia did not like the turn that this encounter had just taken. She thought about how she should have grabbed Elliot and left the room the second it became apparent that Janine had them figured out.

_I'm too late._ Olivia thought. She knew that it had been Elliot's worst fear that somehow, in some way, he had been weak, and that this weakness had allowed him to be kidnapped and had prevented him from escaping on his own and rescuing the others. Janine knew about this fear because he had asked her about it directly a month after her arrest. Now she was using it against him, and it seemed to be working some kind of dark magic.

Olivia pulled at Elliot to leave.

"Come on, Elliot. Let's just get out of here. This isn't working."

"Just a minute." He said.

"Elliot, come on…"

"Just a minute." He repeated, more sternly.

Olivia shook her head in disbelief. She thought Elliot had resolved all these issues. Yet, here he was, seemingly falling for the illusion that Janine somehow held some unique insight into his character that no one else possessed.

"Olivia, I need to talk to her alone. It's all right, I promise." Elliot's intensity in his request was indisputable, and with a terrible, sinking feeling of defeat, Olivia slowly made her way out the door.

Alone with him at last, Janine sighed and visibly relaxed as she once more was able to look at Elliot and see him as hers.

"You're smarter than they give you credit for." Elliot said.

"Who's they?"

"Dr. Huang, Detective Benson, they think you're not very bright."

"And what do you think?" Janine asked.

"I think we were able to convict you because we got very lucky that you were still so impulsive back then, and hadn't matured into the more thoughtful, controlled person you are today."

Janine let this backhanded compliment roll over her for a moment before she spoke again.

"So, guess what I know about you?"

Elliot shook his head.

"I don't care what you know or think you know about me. You don't know anything about me."

Janine's eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise. She believed that she had him in her grip with the comment that got Olivia kicked out of the room. Now she knew she had miscalculated.

"But, then why are you still here talking to me?"

Elliot steeled himself to give the performance of a lifetime. Just looking at her made him furious and queasy, but he would have to move past that, at least for the next few minutes. He smiled as charmingly as he could.

"You like me, don't you?"

His direct question left Janine in a rare state of speechlessness. Elliot waited patiently for her answer, which finally came several seconds later.

"You know I do." She said.

"How much do you like me?"

This question left Janine even more breathless, and this time she took much longer to respond. She stared blankly at the desk in front of her as she searched inside herself. She wanted to be near Elliot, and not just to make him feel pain, although that was what she wanted most from him. She asked herself whether she would still want to be near him if, somehow, she was never again able to torture him, make him scream. The answer was yes. But why? Why would she want to have anything to do with him under those strange circumstances? She groped for an answer, but found herself in unfamiliar, frightening territory where she couldn't recognize anything. What was this place?

When at last she looked up again, the change in her appearance was startling. She resembled a little girl, uncertain about where she was and how she got there.

"You know what your weakness is? Your problem is that you care about other people too much. That's the only way I was ever really able to make you suffer, was to torture other people in front of you, and make you feel like it was your fault. How are you like that?"

She seemed unspeakably sad, another expression he had never seen on her before.

"Do you care about me?" He asked, more pressingly this time.

"Elliot, if I was capable of caring about anything or anyone, it would be you."

For the first and last time, Elliot saw the sane, feeling person that Janine could have been in another life. He tried to drive home his point before this moment slipped away.

"Then do this for me: revoke your application for clemency. No doctor or hospital is ever going to be able to help you, and you know that. You'll be better off staying here, and so will everybody else. I'm asking you to do this. For me."

Even as he spoke, Elliot could see the benevolent calm drain from her, and in its place, the familiar, malicious Janine returned. She waited for him to finish his plea before she allowed herself a smirk.

"Nice try. You know, all your little games are sad. And I'm sick, Elliot, mentally ill. You're playing cruel games with a mentally ill person; a victim of horrible child abuse. Shame on you. Doctors are going to give me the treatment that I've needed all my life, but never got. And I'm going to do it all through the healing power of God's infinite love. And once the doctors cure me and I'm free again, maybe I'll come visit you. We could go away together, just you and me. This time, we'll go someplace where they'll never find us. "

Her smirk broadened into a full grin when she saw the anger flare in his face. He roughly pushed back to leave, not caring about the ear-splitting screech of the chair's legs against the industrial tile floor. Janine twisted in her seat to follow his path, speaking rapidly to make sure he heard everything she had to say before he left the room.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you this time. Not too bad, anyway. I promise I'll keep you alive for at least a year." The door slammed shut just as she got out the last few words.

Olivia waited just outside the room. She had been listening in, and so when Elliot emerged, she knew that he needed to be left alone to pace the hall in silence for a moment. After working off some of the rage and nervous energy, he stopped and stood in front of Olivia.

"She's going to pull it off. She's going to convince them to recommend a pardon for her and they're going to let her out of here. After everything she's done."

"And then she'll do it again." Olivia added.

Not knowing what else to do, Olivia reached out and pulled her arms around Elliot. He returned the embrace, and they remained there in each other's comfort until they heard Louise and her two peers down the hall, returning from their extended break.


	15. Chapter 15

The remainder of the hearing went by in a blur. The vast majority of that time was taken up by Bishop Ramey and his seemingly endless speeches about God's boundless forgiveness and the advances that the psychological community had made in redeeming the formerly unredeemable.

Elliot and Olivia could only sit through it all, numbly contemplating the consequences of what was happening. They each got to make a statement before the hearing concluded, but both knew that their words of warning were not impressive to the three deciders.

At last, the panel called the hearing to a close, and Louise encouraged the participants who were not confined to the prison to go home, as their thorough deliberations could take some time. Olivia and Elliot exchanged a look; they did not believe for a moment that this panel would take any time at all to reach their conclusion, and so they decided to hang out in the hall while Bishop Ramey took Janine back to the prison's chapel to await the verdict.

As they expected, not much more than an hour passed before Elliot and Olivia were called back into the small room, along with Bishop Ramey and Janine.

"So much for thorough deliberations." Olivia muttered as they re-entered the room.

Louise and her panel avoided eye contact and busied themselves with straightening papers and other false distractions until everyone was back and settled in.

"First of all, I want to say that having Bishop Ramey here has been an extraordinary privilege. Bishop, your advocacy of this unfortunate young woman is further proof of your unending compassion."

When Olivia made a gagging noise this time, it was loud enough for Louise to hear, and it earned Olivia and sharp, sideways glance.

"Anyway," Louise continued, "I wanted to make our admiration and appreciation of you clear at the beginning so that you don't blame yourself, Bishop."

Everyone in the room who was not a member of the panel sat up straight at this.

"What are you saying, Louise?" Bishop Ramey asked.

"I'm so sorry, Bishop. We sympathize with Janine, we really do. She has been through hell. My heart weeps for her childhood. It's just, well, I'm childless, as you know, but I do have a nephew. He turned 5 years old last month. And honestly, the thought that Ms. Burke could be back on the streets by the time he goes to college… well, even if she received the very best mental health rehabilitation, there is a chance that it won't help her. And in the end, I don't think any of us can take that chance. We're all in agreement on that." Louise gestured to the other two members of the panel.

Elliot turned his attention from Louise to the Bishop, who now appeared to be several shades whiter than he had been at the beginning of the hearing. Although they were on opposite sides of the room, Elliot also thought he could actually see Bishop Ramey shaking.

Slowly, unsteadily, the Bishop stood up. He turned to Janine first.

"I did the best I could." He said.

Louise, oblivious to Bishop Ramey's increasing discomfort, thought he was talking to her.

"Oh, I know. And you did a wonderful job. Really, you did. We just couldn't forget the victims. Mr. Brown's testimony was particularly significant. We kept thinking about the lives that have been ruined, and the families. If there is even a slight chance that she would do it again, we have a moral obligation to keep her confined in prison. For what it's worth, I personally do think Janine could be helped with professional counseling. That's why I made another call to Dr. Huang. We were all very impressed with him. We asked if he would consider coming up here to provide counseling inside the prison, and he generously said he would. So, you see? Everybody wins." Louise smiled brightly, and Olivia felt the urge to jump up and give her a big hug.

Elliot might have been able to appreciate the beauty of the situation, too, except that he was increasingly concerned about the Bishop who, by now, looked like he was on the verge of fainting.

Now Janine stood too, her cheerful grin matching Louise's as she turned to the panel.

"Thank you for your kindness, Ms. Siver. You are so thoughtful. And I don't want you to worry about me, because I remain confident that someday I will be released, and when I am, you'll know it. Because I'm going to find that nephew of yours, castrate him, and send his body parts to you in the mail." Janine's sunny disposition never wavered as she spoke, but Louise's face immediately fell into an expression of horror.

Gathering herself, Louise stammered, "You… You're a very sick lady. You know not what you do, and I know you're now on God's path. So I forgive you. We will see to it that you get the help you need. It'll just be here, in prison. That's all."

Without further ado, Louise and her two compatriots began quickly stuffing their files and notes into their respective briefcases, taking little notice or care of whether the papers were being crumbled or torn in the process.

Janine had more choice words she wanted to say to them, but she knew she was running out of time. And there was a far more important matter to address before everyone left.

"Bishop Ramey is a child rapist and I can prove it." Janine said.

Everyone froze, and then turned to look at Janine.

"Excuse me?" Louise said, breathlessly.

Bishop Ramey rocked back on his heels, shocked, even though he knew this was coming.

"Janine, I'm sorry I couldn't help you, but making false accusations like this is uncalled-for and very reckless." Bishop Ramey said.

"They're not false accusations. I have pictures." Janine turned to Elliot and continued, talking directly to him.

"Her name was Emily Stratton. She committed suicide about six months ago in the state mental hospital. You can look up her records. Bishop Ramey made her get an abortion when he got her knocked up at age 15. You don't have to believe me. Her medical records will prove it. And my friend, the one who gave you my message, she's holding the pictures of the two of them. I'll call her today and tell her to give them to you."

As Janine spewed out her words in rapid fire, Bishop Ramey mumbled something. His mumbles became gradually louder until, by the end of her rant, he was almost yelling.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

Janine paused just long enough to let his yells fill the room, then she shifted her gaze to the Bishop, smiled her infuriating smile, and started again.

"I roomed with Emily for the few weeks I was there, and she told me what he used to do to her. Everything. This one time, he held her down, made her cry until she lost her voice. That was before he even got started on her."

"That's a lie. I would never… I loved her." Bishop Ramey said.

"He told her it was God's will that they be together. Then, another time he…"

Faster than would seem possible for a man of his girth, Bishop Ramey reached out and grabbed Janine, clutching the back of her head with one hand and clapping his other hand over her mouth.

"You are the devil!" He screamed, inches from her face. "Shut your evil, lying mouth! I never did any of those things, and I would never. I loved her! Something you wouldn't know anything about."

Elliot cocked his head at the Bishop.

"So, you're admitting that you had a sexual relationship with this underage girl, Emily?"

For a moment, Bishop Ramey seemed confused by Elliot's comment, not fully realizing he had just given a confession. Then, just as quickly, he refocused his attention to Janine.

"You've ruined me. You worthless excuse for a human being. That's all you're good for, is ruin!"

As he spoke, the Bishop's hands suddenly found their way from Janine's head to her throat, and before anyone could react, he was squeezing until his knuckles turned white.

Amid Louise's screams, Elliot and Olivia shoved chairs and other obstacles out of their way and were on the Bishop within seconds, but his grip was established, and as Olivia tried to wedge her slender fingers between the Bishop's hands and Janine's neck, Elliot was using all his strength to pull the large man's grip away from Janine. Elliot believed he was almost there when he heard a sickeningly wet, snapping noise coming from Janine's throat. At last, the Bishop let go, and Janine fell limply to the floor. Her lips were turning a purplish blue as Elliot turned her on her back to face him. He ran his hand over her neck, and opened her mouth.

"I think her windpipe has collapsed." He said.

Elliot motioned to a cheap, ballpoint pen lying on the table, and Olivia knew immediately what he wanted to do. She picked up the ballpoint pen, broke off the writing end, and pulled the stopper out of the other end with her teeth. She handed the now hollow tube to Elliot, and watched as he pushed it deep into Janine's mouth, feeling for the opening to her air passage.

His first attempt to create an artificial airway caused a small geyser of blood to pop out of her mouth, and Elliot quietly cursed to himself as he tried again. By now, Louise had regained her composure enough to call for security, who in turn said they would bring medical help with them. Now there was nothing more to do than wait for the prison employees and watch Elliot try to save a life.

"It's not working. I need something narrower than this." Elliot told Olivia.

Olivia began tearing the room apart, looking for something that would oblige his request. Elliot studied the pen casing in his hand one more time, then started to make what would have been his third attempt to create an airway when Janine reached up and held his arm, pushing it away from her.

Janine's painful writhing continued, but she clearly did not want Elliot to try to save her anymore. She looked like she was drawing breath, but it was just a pantomime of breathing. Wide-eyed, with the desperation that only the dying know, she looked directly at Elliot and voicelessly moved her lips, mouthing words that only he could see or understand. A second later, she stopped moving entirely.

Reluctantly, Elliot pulled himself up from the floor, and now all eyes moved to Bishop Ramey. No one could think of anything to say, however, until guards arrived seconds later with a nurse from the prison hospital in tow. Even then, everyone used just enough words to convey what had happened with as much brevity and conciseness as possible. Everyone, that is, except Bishop Ramey, who chose to exercise his right to remain silent.


	16. Chapter 16

The next day, Elliot and Olivia stood among their captain and co-workers, describing first hand details of the scene. The bizarre turn of events had reached the media, particularly with regard to the blackmail and accusations that had been made against Bishop Ramey. Thankfully, the investigation of those claims would fall to other detectives who were not as intimately involved with the case.

"I admire your appreciation for life, Elliot, but I'm having trouble understanding why you would want to save Janine, after everything she's done." Munch said.

"I wasn't trying to save her, I was trying to save Bishop Ramey from being a murderer." Elliot explained.

"For better or worse, you got your wish." Cragen said. "Do they ever expect her to wake from her coma?"

Elliot shook his head.

"They're still running tests, but she went without oxygen too long. She's never going to wake up."

"Of course, you know what this means." Olivia added. "They won't pull the plug for a while, so she'll still be in the hospital when her next birthday comes around, and the families will get access to her money to settle their lawsuits."

"The funds will be frozen, but any judge will unfreeze them. Her family isn't going to fight it; they want to forget she ever existed." Munch said.

"So, everybody wins." Finn said flatly, eerily echoing Louise's words from the day before.

Somehow, no one felt like a winner, and one by one, they gradually dispersed until only Elliot and Olivia were left standing together in a quiet area of their workplace.

"I'm going to go call Crawford. Maybe it'll mean something to him to know that his statement helped make a difference." Elliot said.

"Right. Listen, I've been wanting to ask you something." Olivia said.

"What's that?" Elliot asked, as he turned to walk away.

"What did Janine say to you, when she thought she was dying? She mouthed something, but I couldn't catch it."

Elliot stopped but didn't turn around.

"I love you."

Olivia's pulse jumped.

"What?"

Elliot turned to face her.

"Janine said, 'I love you' to me just before she passed out."

Olivia nodded, having regained her composure. She was relieved that Elliot hadn't been looking at her a few seconds before.

"So, she used her last words to lie."

"Yeah." Elliot said.

"Well, she's gone for good. We're still here and standing. That's the important thing."

Elliot found a smile and reached out for Olivia's hand. He squeezed and then let go to walk back to his desk, knowing that Olivia was right behind him.


End file.
